Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an band?
The Tom Browne Band (TBB): We met at the Academy of contemporary Music and became great friends! We decided to put a band together as we all had a similar taste in music and all had the same drive to try and succeed in the music industry as a band.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
TBB: we came up with the name by chance. Two people in the band had the forename of Tom, and the other two had the surname of Browne, it just so happened to match our style of music as well! And so the name stuck.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
TBB: People that share the music they enjoy is a fantastic thing as it helps the act get their name out there amongst new potential audiences. We put our music on music platforms, i.e Youtube, Spotify etc etc but we encourage people to try and buy our music as it actually helps pay the bills.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
What we would say is gig as often as you can as your music and stagecraft will on improve with practice. Secondly network as much as you can as you never know who you could meet and how they could potentially chance your career!
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
TBB: Yes everyone makes mistakes, though the difference between a good musician and an average one is how you learn to disguise those moments. For us, if we mess up at all, we don’t let it show through facial expressions as this is probably the biggest give away for anyone watching. No one would really notice.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
TBB: We are yet to go on ‘tour’ ..as we haven’t yet realised an EP or an Album to promote, but we gig a lot around the country to practice our show as a band in front of as many new audiences as we can!
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
TBB: When writing new material, we find it really helpful to write about our own good/bad experiences as you can guaranty that it would have happened to someone else at some point. When they hear your song it will mean that much more to them which is how you gain the best fans, as they feel they have something in common with you.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
TBB: we are making our website currently, and are on all the main social media platforms as in this day in age you have to be everywhere to get noticed.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
Josh- The TBB: I am not embarrassed by any of my music, I listen to it with pride! But to name a few.. Love song Taylor Swift, 22 Taylor Swift, Our song Taylor Swift.. if you haven’t guessed, I am a Taylor swift fan.
Kiera- The TBB: I don’t really have that many embarrassing songs on my phone it’s just stuffed with country music, however I have some old CD’s such as Pop Party.
Tom- The TBB: I’m never embarrassed about what I listen to as everything will help in the end. I do have some Miley Cyrus on my phone and again Taylor Swift but who doesn’t love a bit of Taylor ey?
Leon-The TBB: Much like the others I wouldn’t be embarrassed if someone found my music playlists except if they found careless whispers, don’t ask…
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
Josh – The TBB: Pay family debts and give them extra, make sure all my friends were well off, buy any equipment I need. Buy a driver’s licence haha.
Kiera- The TBB: I would do the same as Josh really, but I’d make sure we bought a house in Nashville!
Tom- The TBB: Save it really, pay off all the other bills and debts etc help the family out and buy a Gibson Les Paul, had my eye on one for years!
Leon- The TBB: I would most likely put aside a majority of it as when would i see that kind of money again, and go travelling for a while because why not with that kind of money.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
TBB: We don’t need to improve the studio we record at as it is already awesome!
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
TBB: This is a difficult question.. the industry is changing and it is essential that you change with the times. We feel you get the best responses from people when you try something new or different.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
Josh- The TBB: So many options so little time! Probably, The Beatles, Elvis, Eric Clapton.I am an oldie at heart really.
Kiera- The TBB: I’d like to perform at the Grand Ole Opry with Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Kacey Musgraves.
Tom- The TBB: If I had my way (and its asking a lot) it would be House of Blues with BB King Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and Eric Johnson with Freddie Mercury on vox. Although I would just be standing there in awe….
Leon- The TBB: Madison Square garden with Bon Jovi because they are my all time heroes and that would be amazing beyond belief. Also John Mayer I imagine would be great to perform with him.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
TBB: Yes, we are releasing a new single on the 23rd of this month, ‘Regardless’ which we are very excited about. We are in talks to get that played on radio. We are a main act at Blogtober festival on the 21st of October and going back into the studio very soon to record some awesome new material.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
Josh- the TBB: I’d be a bum.
Kiera- the TBB I’d open my own dog grooming business because I love fluffy animals!
Tom- The TBB: managing England to football glory
Leon- The TBB: Work in the Video Games industry
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
Josh- the TBB: The first album I bought was Guns ‘N’ Roses Greatest Hits. I was going through my Rock/Metal stage and had a need to listen to some classic rock in high definition through very loud speakers!
Kiera – the TBB: Unembarrassed to say, it was that pop party CD.
Tom- The TBB: Queen Live Killers.
Leon- The TBB: The first album I bought was green day American idiot as a friend of mine played it on repeat to me and I just had to have it.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
Josh – the TBB: This is impossible. Well, I TRY to prioritize everything in my life and work through it all accordingly. i.e I need to eat food so I need to have some form of conventional work. But this means I may not be able to gig that day, so I don’t eat haha.
Kiera- the TBB: It’s tough because I have a lot of responsibilities in my life, like juggling a full time job as well.. but at the end of the day to play full time in the band is my dream.
Tom – TBB: It’s really tricky to balance everything but it’s to try and make sure you have your main priorities sorted out and working other things around that.
Leon – TBB: It’s a frustrating endeavour but in the end it’ll all be worth it as music is our passion.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in the next year or so?
TBB: Look out for ‘Regardless’, and our music video for another single we are releasing at the end of October, ‘Mr Oklahoma’ and look for us at Blogtober festival!
***END OF INTERVIEW***### ### ### ### ### ### ###
Band Bio
The band was formed in early 2015. They consist of Kiera on lead vocals/rhythm guitar, Tom on lead guitar, Leon on bass guitar and Josh on Drums. Their influences are bands such as Bon Jovi, Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts and their latest single ‘Grey’ has been compared to the likes of Janis Joplin and George Harrison. They are local talent winners besting off 60 other bands and artists, had air time on local radio and have had recent festival experience.
